For a group formed by high school students who have stuck together since, hard work is paying off.Their song, Man of God, from their latest album, Faithfulness, has taken the town by storm and is also enjoying wide airplay from local radio stations.Its video has also hit the local music scene showing in both Christian and secular music shows. Their previous songs include Nimeokoka and Ana bamba, which also received good response from fans.

In 2004, they were nominated for the best group of the year at the local Christian Grove Awards. Comprising eight talented young men, the group can only hope for better things. A performance by the group whether an R&B Accapella or hip hop always leaves the audience craving for more. Just like the group's name, which means dedicated to God, suggests, the octet says their dedication to the group and to God is what has seen them through since 1998.

The men aged between 21 and 23, formed the group while at Upper Hill High School as part of the Christian Union choir. The name of the group has undergone a series of changes. Initially it was called Voice in the light choir, which later became the Pent Harmony, a group that included Kevin of Sema, one of the Coca Cola pop stars. Kevin and others then broke away from the group and the eight stayed on finally calling the group Votaries. Their good music has seen them perform at many events, including corporate functions, weddings and award ceremonies.

They have had shows in Uganda and Tanzania and plans are under way for them to perform in the USA and the Denmark later this year. Citing finances and lack of payment when invited for a show, as some of the obstacles they have had to contend with, the group also says that the local music industry would be miles ahead if only people gave it the seriousness it deserves. Amos, 21, a member of the group and an IBA student at USIU, explains that because they are a Christians people tend to invite them to sing without thinking that they need to be paid. "Much as we will do it to spread the gospel, if we get paid we get to put some of our future plans into action," he says. To generate money, the group owns a clothing label known as 22. This stands for the position in the alphabet of the first letter (V) in their name.

The group notes that there is piracy, but believes that time Kenyans reject it. The group's manager and producer Steve O, of Soul Child Productions, says," If South Africans have rejected piracy I believe we can also do away with it. We need to appreciate the hard work of our musicians." Steve has also worked with other local musicians -- Rufftone, Henrie Mutuku, Voices United Choir, Abby, DnG and Bamboo. He says it took the group a month to produce the video and it has paid off. The video that cost the group more than Sh250, 000 was done by Soul Child Productions and even featured a Christian model.

"Ideas for the video come from all of us, then perfected by the producer and his team, says Ben Gitau, 23, another member of the group. He is also known as Githx. He is a producer in his own right and doubles up as the group's songwriter and composer, while Benjamin Otieno is the group rapper and choreographer. Others are David Kyalo or DC an architecture student at JKUAT, Arthur Maira and Stephen Mathu who are computer students. Finances for the video came from different sources, including their parents and employed members.

On featuring Rufftone in their song Man of God, they say they had never done collaboration with any other musician and decided to feature him. The rumour that they had to feature Rufftone to popularise the song is disheartening, they say. The group, they insist, is made up of different talents. "Each one of us has the gift to sing in different ways," says soft-spoken Sammy Njoroge, another member of the group. It has also been rumored that another secular musician was shooting a similar video and so they hurried theirs, but the group disputes this.It could be a coincidence but theirs was God's perfect timing, they say. "A good video, just like a good song," they say, "needs hard work, time and good planning." "We put in all this not forgetting prayers and you can see the results." Brian King, 23, the most outspoken in the group and a student at the Pan African Christian College, says of their music: "People of all ages can listen to our music as it has various messages."

Their music is a blended of accapella, R&B and Urban hip hop. He also explains that Christian musicians do not get equal airplay in comparison to their secular counterparts, but says that this makes the Christian musicians work even harder, "and they always get their music out finally, he says. Christian music, the group says, is popular despite lack of frequent airplay. Besides singing, the group whose members attend Hope Baptist Church in Lavington, also minister and are youth leaders. Brian is a fourth year student in a theology school and a youth pastor.

They take the ministry seriously and took part in the abstinence campaign last year, dubbed the ATM -- Abstinence Till Marriage.For the group whose greatest joy comes from people giving their lives to God, they will stop at nothing until everyone gets their message of God's Love.